How Physical Therapy Can Help You Get Ready for Fall Sports
Before you know it, the cooler season will come, and so will fall sports! Are you wondering how to prepare yourself for your favorite autumn activities? Or have you been struggling with an old injury that just doesn’t seem to be going away? Either way, Boost Physical Therapy and Sports Performance can help.
Everyone involved in athletics knows that one thing is for sure: competition comes with a risk of injury. Fortunately, physical therapy can help athletes recover from injuries and prepare them for their upcoming seasons.
Whether you compete in cross-country running, football, or soccer, our team can help you resolve an injury and provide you with the tools you need to be at your peak physical condition for the start of the season.
How Physical Therapy Helps Athletes Prepare for Fall Sports
Playing the sport you love, whether competitively or just for fun, is an important part of staying healthy and enjoying your life. And making sure your body is strong, stable, and prepped for the game is vital for maintaining high performance.
Conditioning is a significant part of staying healthy when you play sports. Fortunately, we offer customized conditioning programs that can lower your risk of sustaining an injury during the game and improve your performance.
These programs focus on keeping you healthy and strong. They incorporate sports-specific strengthening and training methods to ensure your body can tolerate the demands of your sport while improving your ability to compete at a high level. Techniques like targeted exercises, lifting weights, and proactive recovery practices further help prevent athletes from injuring themselves.
In short, a physical therapy-focused conditioning program can prepare you for the ups and downs of the fall sports season.
Meet Our Team
Ryan Ruble
Sports Performance Manager
Sean Whitmore
PT, DPT
The Role of Boost Physical Therapy in Your Recovery
Understanding Sports Injuries (And The Role Of Physical Therapy)
One significant aspect of physical therapy is that it can help you prevent an injury this fall. Injuries are a part of any sports season and are typically placed into two categories: acute or overuse.
Acute injuries are caused by a specific incident, such as:
- Sprains
- Fractures or dislocations
- Concussions
In contrast, overuse injuries are caused by repetitive movements or poor technique. Some examples of overuse injuries include:
- Tennis elbow
- Shin splints
- Jumper’s knee
- Stress fractures
- Tendinitis
More About Common Sports Injuries: Sprains and Strains
Sprains are extremely common in sports. Ligaments connect bones together and help support your joints. When a ligament is stretched beyond its limits, a sprain can occur. Once the ligament is stretched, it becomes looser and more susceptible to being sprained again in the future.
Strains are similar to sprains but occur in muscles and tendons, not ligaments. Tendons connect muscles to bones. Once a tendon or muscle is injured, it needs to be resolved fully, or it can lead to persistent pain and limitations in function.
Injury Prevention with Physical Therapy
Receiving physical therapy before you begin playing this fall could make all the difference in how ready your body is to be out on the field or court. The process begins with an injury screening to identify any underlying conditions that can lead to future injuries. Once we identify limitations, restrictions, and weaknesses, we’ll provide you with a personalized program to resolve them.
As you progress through rehabilitation, the intensity and complexity of your program will increase accordingly. We design your program to meet your specific needs, including incorporating sports-specific training to prepare your body for the demands of a competitive sports season.
Request an Appointment To Get Started
Encouraging healing and avoiding injury are top priorities at Boost Physical Therapy and Sports Performance. In addition to directly treating injuries, we can help you improve your range of motion, strength, and overall function to prevent additional harm from occurring and get you ready for your sport.
Are you an athlete prepping for fall sports? Schedule an appointment today to learn more about how physical therapy can get you geared up to have your best season yet!
Try This
DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS:
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand, elbows bent, and weights held at shoulder height with palms facing forward.
- Press both dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Pause briefly at the top, then slowly lower the weights back to shoulder height.
- 3 Sets, 10 Reps. (Materials needed: dumbbells)
Recipe of the Month: Breakfast Tacos
Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs
- Sea salt
- ½ teaspoon avocado oil
- 1 cup Pico de Gallo
- ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
- ½ avocado, sliced
- 4 corn or flour tortillas, warmed or charred over a gas flame
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
- Hot sauce, for serving
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt.
- In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium heat. Add half the pico de gallo and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly softened. Add the eggs and scramble until just set. Stir in the cheese and remove from the heat.
- To assemble breakfast tacos, divide the eggs and avocado slices among the tortillas. Top with the remaining pico de gallo and cilantro. Serve with hot sauce.
